When Wishes Don't Come True
by LingShiao
Summary: Is what she wished for really what she wanted? Suichiro has died and been reincarnated several times, and each time was just as painful as the last. How much longer can they all stand it? Perhaps Kohaku was not meant for Suichiro? But if not him, who?


This is an idea that's been bouncing around in my head for a long time, but only really took shape in November. Anyway, all you should know before starting this fic is that this is about the third or fourth time Suichiro's died and Kohaku's been waiting for him. Enjoy and please review!

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A sudden breeze rustled leaves of the weeping willow. Its boughs quivered & swayed gently. Suddenly, the tree was engulfed in blinding light, and from it sprang a blazing whirl. The dazzling glow faded, and now was visible a girl with caramel blonde hair and wide, topaz blue eyes that glittered like the sun reflecting off water. She was dressed in pure white robes, highlighting her almost translucent porcelain skin. She was an angel, and her name was Kohaku. She stretched her glowing wings, a lively smile lighting her delicate features.

"Suichiro's back," she said to herself. "Suichiro's back!" she shouted joyously, pirouetting once in the air before flying off into the distance to find him.

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Koryu stared out the window lazily, and yawned. The estate Suichiro left him and the others was huge, but with no Kohaku to pick on, his days had been going by excruciatingly slowly. Then, a flash of white silk caught his eye, and he choked on the yawn. His garnet red eyes widened in shock as he realized who was approaching the front door.

"Kohaku?! You're back!" he exclaimed, painfully unable to keep the delight out of his voice. "I mean," he corrected himself, scowling, "Has it been 100 years already?"

"Yup!! You haven't aged a day!" Kohaku chirped.

"Yeah, well, can't say the same for you, hag." Koryu quipped.

Underneath it all, however, Koryu felt a pang of unfamiliar emotion. Perhaps it was something he'd eaten? No, that wasn't it. Oh, right. He'd figured this out the second time Suichiro died, and Kohaku had gone to sleep. It was . . . eew . . . affection. For Kohaku. Ew.

He took a deep breath. "Though I can definitely say that things haven't been the same without you," he amended.

Kohaku smiled happily. "Aw, I'm glad you missed me," she replied, reading between the lines perfectly.

How did she do that?

"Where's Suichiro?" Kohaku asked.

Oh, the inevitable question. It seemed like just as soon as one wall came down, three more too its place. If only she could think about something besides that oaf for just one minute. But wait. Huh?

Forgetting his arrogant façade, Koryu stared at her blankly. "It's only been three days."

Now that he thought about it, what was Kohaku doing back so soon?

Kohaku's face fell. "Then why am I awake?"

Koryu shrugged. "Dunno."

"Where are Hisui & Kokuyo?"

"Don't care," Koryu replied breezily.

"Are they coming back soon?"

"Don't count on it," he sighed airily.

Just then, right on cue, Hisui & Kokuyo materialized. Neither of them seemed

surprised to see Kohaku.

"We need to talk," Hisui said. The angel's soft green eyes were grim. She took Kohaku's hand and led her to the garden.

"What's wrong?" Kohaku asked anxiously, sitting down on a stone bench beneath a cascading willow tree. "Did something go wrong with Suichiro's reincarnation?"

Hisui took a deep breath and closed her eyes, massaging her temples. "Kokuyo and I just attended a meeting at the Bridge. Apparently, Suichiro's soul has vanished."

"What?!" Kohaku's angelic form flickered and went transparent for a moment from sheer shock. "It's impossible! Did he become a ghost? Did a demon eat his soul??' Kohaku was _inches _away from hysteria.

"No," Hisui said quickly. "The demons insisted none of them consumed his soul," she assured Kohaku. "I think I know what's going on. I didn't know human souls were capable of such magic, but I think Suichiro has refused to move on, masking his presence and choosing to stay here instead."

"So he's a ghost?" Kohaku asked, now utterly bewildered.

"Not yet," Hisui replied. "He has seven days before turning into a ghost."

"But what's wrong with being a ghost? Then we could be together forever, right?"

"He would live but a shadow of a real life. He would have a gaping hole gnawing away at him, one that couldn't be filled, not even by you. Think before you allow him to become a ghost," Hisui cautioned.

"But if he won't leave, what can I do?" Kohaku asked frantically.

"Let him go. He's still here because he's worried about you. He knows he'll die many times over and doesn't want you to feel so much pain. He's making himself a ghost because he loves you too much."

"But doesn't he know the consequences of becoming a ghost?"

"I'm sure somewhere in his mind he does," Hisui replied sadly. "But he would rather have the pain tearing at his heart than at yours."

Kohaku's eyes filled with tears. "But knowing he was hurting because of my selfish wish would hurt me more than anything!" she protested. "How can I stop him?"

"I told you," Hisui reminded her gently. "Set him free."

"I can't." Kohaku insisted. "You know the legend of the red string—"

"Perhaps your string was merely entangled with his." Hisui cut in, as kindly as she could.

A thousand emotions rushed at Kohaku, threatening to drown her. Realizing she could do no more to help, Hisui offered her an unconvincing smile before standing up quietly and going back inside.

So there Kohaku sat till sundown.

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Koryu lounged by the window, watching her. He'd been hemming and hawing all day about whether or not to go see Kohaku, but if she started babbling on about Suichiro again, he might just blow up. Still, she sat there so motionless, he wondered vaguely if she'd been turned to stone.

In a split second, he made up his mind and stood to go see for himself.

But before Koryu could set foot ouside the door, Kokuyo blocked his path. Dwarfed by Kokuyo's sculpted, leather-clad figure, Koryu took a step back.

"What?" Koryu asked, recoiling like a leopard before a python, more annoyed than scared.

Kokuyo shot him a look. "Be nice," He ordered, before stepping aside.

Glaring at him, Koryu settled himself on the same bench as Kohaku. Sitting in silence, watching the stars come out, Koryu wondered if Kohaku had even noticed him at all.

"Kohaku?"

"Yeah?"

So she had noticed him. On impulse, he decided to try something he'd seen on that wondrous human invention, the television.

"You know how big those stars are? Bigger than thiis . . ." Stretching his arms out wide, he stealthily snaked one around Kohaku's shoulder. To his surprise, she didn't shrug him off, but settled comfortably into the crook of his arm.

Just as he was working up the nerve to say something, he noticed Kohaku's shoulders beginning to shake. Before Koryu knew what was happening, Kohaku was sobbing uncontrollably, crying just like she had when Suichiro died.

Koryu patted her shoulder awkwardly, willing to give up both his wings if only he could know what to say.

"I can't let go," Kohaku finally whispered.

The pent up frustration Koryu had been keeping bottled up since Kohaku returned exploded in a shower of fiery sparks.

"Can't? Or won't?" Koryu demanded. He sighed. "There are ways of letting go without

forgetting," he said more softly, stroking Kohaku's short hair.

"I know. But I'm scared to try. I don't want to end up alone." Kohaku murmured.

"For all my teasing, I never left you alone, did I?"

Kohaku shook her head.

"Well, that's not going go change now."

Kohaku smiled wanly, and for a long moment, all was still.

"Oh," Kohaku sighed.

"What?" Koryu asked quietly.

"It was as if, just for a moment, a light wave of incredible joy washed over me. It felt warm and nice, but left me feeling just a bit lonely," Kohaku murmured.

Koryu pulled her closer.

Then, a single star shot across the sky, & Kohaku and Koryu looked to the east, where dawn was breaking.


End file.
